Quick Avocado Taco Bowls

Did you know that the avocado is actually a fruit?  It’s actually a very large berry! Who knew? In fact, the avocado, also called the “alligator pear” has been adorned as “America’s new favorite fruit,” and for good reason!  Not only are they deliciously creamy, but the avocado has a long list of healthy benefits according to Healthline: 

1. Avocados have more potassium than a banana.  Studies in the FASAB Journal found diets high in potassium have shown to reduce blood pressure.
2. Avocados can protect your eyes! Pubmed studies have shown that avocados can significantly lower your risk of macular degeneration and cataracts because they are high in antioxidants, especially zeaxanthin and lutein.  
3. An Avocado is high in fiber, so it helps you to stay full longer, which is helpful if you’re trying to lose weight.  But it’s not just any fiber, it’s soluble fiber which Pubmed affirms is known for feeding the good bacteria in your gut. So avocados help keep you full and are good for gut health. Win win.
4. WebMD, also agrees that the avocado is an amazing super food.  Because of the amount of folate, a type of vitamin B, avocados are a natural mood booster! Folate also helps prevent birth defects, so if you're pregnant, feel free to indulge. 
5. The World Health Organization states that “heart disease is the most common cause of death in the world.” According to numerous studies published through Pubmed, avocados have shown to help protect your arteries by lowering blood triglycerides, reducing LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol), and actually raising HDL (the “good” cholesterol).
6. Avocados are full of fat.  Healthline discloses that about 77% of the calories from an avocado are from fat, but it’s the good kind of fat - Monounsaturated fatty acid, also known as a heart-healthy fat.  Since the avocado is high in fat, it can also help you to absorb certain vitamins and minerals which are fat-soluble. This means, in order for your body to use and digest certain vitamins and minerals, they need to be combined with fat to do so. 
7. Avocados are naturally low in carbohydrates and sugar which means it's diabetic friendly, and a go to staple if you’re following a low carb high fat diet.
8. The avocado is incredibly nutritious with 20 vitamins and minerals.  WebMd goes on to explain that the avocado contains vitamin E to help against Alzheimers, niacin to reduce inflammation, vitamin D & K with are essential for bone health, vitamin C to protect your skin against harmful UV rays that cause wrinkles, and plant sterols that can help ease an enlarged prostate.

Clearly, avocados are a superb food choice, and are laden with many important nutrients, which unfortunately are lacking in the typical American diet.  We fully agree with Healthline when they say that avocados are “weight loss friendly, heart healthy, and last but not least, taste incredible.” So try adding avocados to your favorite dish, or give the recipe below, a twist on your average taco, a try!  Let us know what you think, and share your favorite way how you add this amazing super food to your diet.

Quick Avocado Taco Bowls

Ingredients:

1 Avocado

1 Lime

½ Cup of Precooked Taco Meat (You can make your own taco seasoning, you can use a taco seasoning packet, or you can even use leftover taco meat from the night before)

3 Cherry Tomatoes

1 Tablespoon of your choice Cream Cheese or Sour Cream

1 Tablespoon Chopped Red Onion

1 Tablespoon Roughly Chopped Cilantro

¼ Cup Shredded Cheese

How to Assemble and Stuff your Avocado:

1. Quarter each cherry tomato. Chop the onion, and cilantro. Shred the cheese.
2. Halve your avocado and remove the pit.  Spoon out some of the avocado, chop into bite size pieces and set aside for later.
3. Cut the lime into slices. With one of the slices, rub some lime juice on the fleshy part of the avocado to keep from turning brown.
4. In a bowl mix your taco meat, cream cheese or sour cream, and half of the shredded cheese.  Heat and get melty!
5. Generously scoop the taco meat mixture evenly between the two avocado halves
6. Top with chopped avocado pieces, tomatoes, and onion.
7. Garnish with cilantro and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
8. Finish with a squeeze of lime.
9. Grab a spoon and dig in!